The Penn's Grove record., 1887-10-15

without doubt one OF the greatest
mining achievements Of moderR engin-
eering is the construction Of the Big
Bend Tunnel on the Feather river, sit
uated In Butte County, California.
Feather river Is formed by the North,
Middle and South Forks, which rise In
the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Plumas
County, run southwestward, and unite
in Butte Co. to form the main Feather.
IL is well known, among gold miners,
that the richest and most productive
gold mines of California have been the
beds of rivers, and the Feather" espe-
cially has been known for years under
the name OF 1.-THE Golden Feather"
But the Big Bend OF Feather river
whose gravel deposits have been estlma-
ted In value from 500, 900. 900 to $3.50,
900, 900, has hitherto bafled the skill Of
man to rob 1t of It's treasure. This vast
amount of wealth has been guarded
and preserved for ages by the minimum
constant flow of one hundred Thousand
miners' inches of water rushing through
a narrow canon of from 1900 to 1000
feet deep, which rendered It impossible
to wing-dam or flume. Only recently
these obstacles could be overcome
through the intervention of modern en-
cheering skill.
There is a little stream running
through Dark Canon, which empt!es
into the West Branch Of the Feather
and from there into the main Feather.
A tunnel was commenced in Dark
! Canon, and a bore 12x16 feet drilled
through a spur OF Big Bend mountain
a distance of 1907 feet, or nearly ttoo
and One-thfrd miles IN length out to
the mountain side of Feather River, at
the upper end of the Bead. just be-
low where the upper end Of the tunnel
taps the river a dam was constructed
which is to force the water through the
tunnel into Dark Canon, out of which
it will flow into the West Branch, and
then into the main Feather again. This
will leave about fourteen miles Of the
river bed exposed to sight during the
season of low water, which is from
seven to nine months in the year. at
the head of the tunnel six gates Of iron
and steel, a. by 8 feet, will let the wa
ter in or keep it out. In times OF high
water the gates will be closed, and the
| river will run along its old bed, to be
turned out of its course and through
the tunnel at low water.
The President of the Big Bend Tun-
mel and Mining Company, and the
largest stakeholder therein. is DR., r.
v. Pierce, who, being fully satisfied
with the feasibility of the plan from its
Inception, has with an unstintlng hand
supplied the funds for the prosecution
of this enormously expensive work, and
his confidence and liberality will soon
meet its reward.
The Doctor besides is President Of
the Buffalo Loan, Trust and Safe De-
post Company, n of the foremost
banking institutions in the city of Buff
falo. But he is perhaps best known as
President of the Worlds Dispensary
Medical Association and Invalids' Ho-
tel and Surgical Institute" This in
stitution is situated on Main aud
Washington streets, Buffalo, N. Y,
having the design to furnish a home to
those desiring private treatment OF the
most skilled class, especially to those
suffering from chronic and surgical
diseases. 1t is not a hospital, but a
pleasant, remedial home, furnished
with every comfort, and the most APP
proved sanitary, medical and surgical
appliances.
There are eighteen skilled physicians
and surgeons constantly at the Hotel.
and q corps OF efficient and trained
nurses. The Doctor is also the IN
ventor OF several w~ell-known medi-
cines, which are compounded at the
Worlds Dlspensary. The efficacy OF
these medicines is undoubtedly what
led to the idea and ultimate establish
ment of the invalids' Hotel. Very
many who were using these remedies
of DR.. Pierce's found them so benef-
'cial that they began to send applica-
tions for personal treatment, and these
appeals becoming SO numerous, the
Doctor concluded to erect his invalid's
Hotel. The Big Bend Tunnel Com
pany is fortunate in having so progress
I'VE a man as DIR. Pierce as their Presl-
dent.